Pietersen to lead Daredevils, Karthik named deputy

Agencies /New DelhiEngland discard Kevin Pietersen will captain the new-look Delhi Daredevils during the seventh Indian Premier League while wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik would be his deputy, the team announced yesterday.Pietersen, a former England skipper, has been sensational in the T20s and was named ‘Man of the Tournament’ in the 2010 World Twenty20 helping his team bag its maiden ICC crown.Pietersen joined Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and made an impact with his eight-match outing amassing 305 runs with an average of 61, including a match-winning ton against now defunct Deccan Chargers to help the team top the league. He was unavailable in 2013 owing to an injury. He was bought for $1.5 million at the IPL auction last month.On being appointed captain, Pietersen said: “I feel incredibly honoured to have been asked to captain the Delhi Daredevils. I am very much looking forward to working alongside coach Gary Kirsten. We have a fantastic squad with a good blend of youth and experience and a brilliant coaching set up. We hope to bring our incredible fans a lot of happiness this season.”Karthik makes his return to the Daredevils family after having played with the franchise for the first three years. He was bought for $2.08 million. The wicket-keeper batsman has amassed 1,741 runs in 92 IPL appearances. On the appointments, Kirsten said: “I am looking forward to working with Kevin Pietersen as the captain of the Delhi Daredevils. It will be great to have him with us for the full duration of IPL and I have no doubt that he will have a positive and significant impact.”Meanwhile, Dardevils launched their new logo and team jersey. A colourful skyline and hundreds of kites soaring across various parts of the city marked an innovative launch of Daredevils’ new look and new journey.Flash mobs flying kites that dotted the skyline across Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon marked the launch of the new logo of the GMR Group-owned team. The new logo depicts a ‘Flying Kite’. It is inspired by the art of kite flying, a celebrated pastime for the people of Delhi. The new logo resonates the irresistible nature of the city and how the love for the game lifts the spirit of each and every fan. It also depicts how the team feeds off the energy of every individual talent and would look to play exciting cricket together in the new season of IPL-7.   Bailey to captain Kings XI PunjabMeanwhile, Australia Twenty20 captain George Bailey will captain Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.“He was the unanimous choice. He has got success as a leader in domestic tournaments like Sheffield Shield in Australia,” coach Sanjay Bangar was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.“He had also led Australia in the Twenty20 format. And then the overall type of character he is, who can understand a range of players from the bigger names to ones that have limited ability. We are confident he has the ability to bring out the best from everyone.”Bailey gets into the shoes of compatriot Adam Gilchrist, who led the franchise for two years before retiring last year. The Punjab team bought the right-hand batsman for $531,000 at the IPL auction last month, along with fellow Australians Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell and Shaun Marsh.